


Decades of Change

by Hohohosie



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Childhood Friends, Clueless josie saltzman, F/F, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Jealous Hope Mikaelson, Long-Distance Friendship, Long-Distance Relationship, Slow Burn, foreign exchange
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:54:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hohohosie/pseuds/Hohohosie
Summary: "You ready poppit?"Hope had no idea just how not ready she was for this summer.Or Foreign Exchange AU following Hope and Josie's relationship from childhood friends to something much more. All parents are alive and well. Penelope and Landon are Hopes' best friends.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 13
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So first-time writer long time reader. 
> 
> \- This chapter only has the tiniest bit of Hosie (if you blink you will miss it). I just wanted to do a little bit of character building first. 
> 
> -Landon, Hope and Penelope are all from London. 
> 
> \- Please let me know if you want me to continue - it actually took a lot more time than I anticipated to write this.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
2006:  
Hope, Lizzie, Landon & Penelope: 12 Years Old  
Josie: 10 Years Old  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You awake poppit?” 

Hope slowly opens her eyes and move her head toward the voice, still half asleep. Her dad stands there smiling.

“We will have to leave in the next half hour – give them two a nudge, their parents are waiting for them downstairs.”

Hope looks over at her bests friend Landon & Penelope. Penelope is sleeping peacefully beside hope. Whilst Landon is fast asleep in his sleeping bag on the floor mouth wide open & snoring loudly, boys are gross. Usually, she would hold his nose until he jolted awake, but she woke up feeling a little apprehensive, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Her dad must have noticed as she moved closer and spoke soft enough for only her to hear.

“It’s not too late to change your mind, if you’re not ready to go now there will always be next year, or the year after that, or the year after that…

Hope sighed “Daaadddddd… Stoppp it… I’m going.” She paused 

Klaus laughed as he turned to exit the room “Okay, okay… can’t blame me for trying, I know your old enough now to start having adventures of your own. I’ll just miss my little wolf.” He lingered at the doorframe for the last but, before disappearing downstairs and leaving Hope to her thoughts.

Hope had always dreamed of visiting Europe - her father often spoke of days long past scampering around Europe with nothing but a backpack, living life on a whim without a care in the world. Hayley would of course roll her eyes playfully and remind him that with the Michelson fortune his experience of “backpacking” was much more glamourous than others. 

Hope favorite stories were of Paris – eyes alight, holding onto every detail, mornings spent weaving through tiny cobbled streets, eating mouth-watering pastries, and exploring tiny flea markets filled with secret treasures. 

So, when her new French teacher offered a chance for her class to participate in a foreign exchange program she jumped at the chance - grin stretching from ear to ear and jumping up and down with excitement as she begged her parents to let her go. Her parents were a lot tougher to crack than she anticipated, she was only 12 after all and this was two whole months away from home. After much pleading, a very detailed presentation & confirmation that Landon & Penelope was going they finally gave in – with one compromise, no to Paris but yes to France, Rennes to be exact – where her aunt Keelin had coincidently been planning on spending a week there over summer. 

“Hope…” Penelope grumbled from beside her bringing her back to the present.

“Penelope…” Hope retorted with a slight grin. Penelope was not a morning person, and this was an obscene hour to be awake even by Hope standards. 

“It’s too early… listen to your dad, let’s try again next year” Penelope whined. Hope giggled at that. 

“I’ll strike you a deal Pen if you get up now… I’ll let you wake up Landon.” 

Penelope suddenly looked very alert, an evil smirk taking over from drowsy grin. She quickly grabbed one of her socks she had kicked off her foot in the middle of the night and stuffed it into Landon's unsuspecting mouth.

“msfijnfhasffngdgn…” Landon shot up, taking a minute to take in his surroundings and remove the foreign object from his mouth. 

He shot Penelope an annoyed look & let out a pathetic whine “No fairrrrrrrr… I was literally defenseless and literally getting to the best part of my dream…”

“& what or should I say who were you dreaming off…” Penelope snarked back quickly looking between the two of them grinning. “I think I might of heard you mumble sweet nothings about Hoo..”

Landon quickly grabbed the sock and tried to stuff Penelope’s mouth with it. Hope tried to break them up, but it just ended up with them all laughing in a heap on the floor. 

“Hope honey, we really have to go soon…” Hayley shouted up the stairs. 

The three got up from the floor and it all went a bit quiet, Landon spoke up after a minute

“I’m really going to miss you guys,” He was the softy of the group but he always knew what the others were thinking and was brave enough to wear his heart on his sleeve despite the insistent teasing he would get from Penelope and on occasion hope.

“No time for the theatricals Lan, we have already wasted enough time with you childish sock antics, besides you and Hope we placed in the next village if anyone should be missing anyone it's me! I’m Basically on the other side of the country.” Penelope said.

“Yeah but Pen you get to live in Paris & Mrs. Tig has already arranged with our exchange families for us to visit you & you to visit us in Rennes.”

Hope had originally been disappointed that she had been placed in Rennes but that soon faded when she received a package from her exchange family with pictures of a family stood outside a colorful half-timbered house, she distinctly remembers two little girls, around her age Lizzie the blond stood pride of place in the middle of her parents and one barely noticeable tucked away behind her mum's legs. Hope noticed though and once she noticed she couldn’t stop looking, at her soft pouty smile, her kind doe eyes – it made her feel funny inside, must mean they will be the best of friends. 

“Earth to Hope?” Penelope teased. 

“Huh?” Hope responded.

“Your blushing and had a spaced-out….”

“GUYS I SWEAR, THIS IS YOUR LAST AND FINAL WARNING, PENELOPE YOUR PARENTS HAVE JUST LEFT THE HOUSE TO GET THE CAR STARTED” Hayley screamed. 

Penelope bolted downstairs as much as she loved her parents, she knew they meant business if the car engine was humming. 

Landon and Hope giggled and made their way downstairs too. Landon said his goodbyes to Hope and her parents and told Hope he would text her when he was settled in so they could plan in some Renne's adventures. 

Once Landon had left & Penelope had eventually made it into her car. Hope with her parents, she grabbed her suitcase from her bedroom and started to load it into the car. Her mum started to towards the door noticing Hope wasn’t following she turned round and give Hope her warmest smile.

“Come on Poppit”

All of a sudden the sinking feeling in her stomach was back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope says some goodbyes and more importantly some hellos.
> 
> Also, little jo is just the cutest smol bean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really happy co-create this with someone if anyone is keen? :) 
> 
> Just message below - hope you enjoy it!

The drive to the airport was quiet, Landon and Penelope were flying from a different airport, and hope couldn’t help but feel anxious that they would have each other whilst she had to go alone. She spent the majority picking what CD she would take with her – finally settling on McFly as who didn’t like McFly right?

“Stay safe…” Klaus told hope as he pulled into the short stay car-park, his knuckles were turning white from his tight grip around eyes looking forward, “…and call every day, I want to know every detail.” Klaus then moved to face Hope opening his arms, Hope saw the tears forming in his eyes and knew it was best for them both if they said their goodbyes in the car. 

“Love you dad and I promise I will.” Hope muffled into his chest as she hugged him tightly. 

Hayley who had been collecting Hope's suitcase from the car popped her head indoor.

“Come on dear – if we don’t hurry, you’re going to miss your flight,” 

With that Hope jumped out of the car. Turning around one last time to give her dad a shy smile and wave, she herself now holding back the tears. Hayley led her through the airport guiding her all the way up to the departure gate. As they got there hope suddenly froze & panic again settling in. 

“Two months is a really long time…” she whispered. 

“Oh, sweetie I promise it won’t feel too long. Your dad & I will miss you too - so you better have good stories, okay? Make art. Use your voice. Have adventures. And have one totally epic summer. And be every bit of yourself. Because the very best of me and your dad is in you, and you're impossible not to love.” Hayley said fighting back her own tears and opening her arms so they could embrace.

Hope let her mum hold her tightly and held back the tears that were threatening to spill. “I'll try,” Hope whispered. 

At the gate attendant called for final check-in, Hayley gently pushed Hope further and she made her way through the gate, again turning around one last time to catch one more glimpse of her mum.

The plane journey was rather uneventful, she mostly listened to her music and drifted in and out of sleep. She had been assigned at “babysitter” to help her get through the arrivals gate which she was annoyed with at first – however now as they weave through the rows of baggage terminal’s she feels eternally grateful. 

It was easy enough to spot her bag, her dad had bought her a navy-blue suitcase with little wolves dotted all over it. She pointed it out to her “babysitter” who swiftly grabbed it before dragging hope through customs and finally shoved her through the arrival’s door.

Hope wandered through feeling a little aimless until eyes caught sight of a sign in simple black letter “Michelson” she looked up from the sign and the kind-looking woman from her photos – Jo. She made her way over and as she approached a little brunette girl appeared from behind her mother's legs.

Hope first thoughts were that the other girl looked sad, her hair was parted into space buns and she had an adorable little pout on her face. Hope thought she looked pretty.

Josie gave her a shy wave but didn’t say anything. Hope waved back and gave her a small smile to show Josie she wasn’t mean. Josie hid behind her mother’s legs again.

“I’m sorry,” Jo apologized for her. “Josie isn’t talking much right now. But let’s get your stuff packed into the car, here give me your suitcase.”

Jo walked on ahead leaving Josie and Hope alone. Hope noticed that the little girl was holding a folded piece of paper, sort of like a letter. Josie noticed and shyly handed it over “I made this for you…” in a voice so small, hope would have missed it if she hadn’t moved so close. 

Hope looked up quickly and could see that Jo had was looking at the pair with a big smile on her face. Hope opened the letter; HOPE was spelled out in large font, each letter a different color with lots of glitter, stickers, and ribbons all over – hope could tell a lot of effort had been put into it. 

The same little voice spoke again eyeing hope cautiously “Lizzie said it was stupid…” she paused looking down at her shoes, growing quieter “but I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss us…” 

“Well Lizzie is wrong, and I love it & art is my favorite.” said hope with a big grin on her face, this time not forced at all touched by Josie gesture. 

Josie slowly lifted her head and her mouth lifted into a small shy smile - and Hope found herself thinking how anyone could ever miss Josie. Jo called the two girls to make a move on and both scuttled forwards and made their way to the car.


End file.
